US suspends visa section for 2 days

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Faced with protests for the fourth day over an anti-Islam film, the US consulate in Chennai suspended its visa section for two days from Monday.

The decision to close the visa section came in the backdrop of 28 Muslim organisations planning to hold a demonstration at 4 pm on Tuesday near Tarapore Towers.

“The decision was taken to ensure visa applicants arriving at the mission do not face any risk from the protestors.

With Wednesday being a closed holiday, the visa section will resume work on Thursday but only after reviewing the situation afresh at that time,” said a representative of the US consulate.

The decision to close the visa section for two days has been notified to all applicants through phone and mail, according to a representative of the US consulate.

There was heavy police deployment at Gemini circle on Monday and the police had blocked the service road from Anna Salai to Cathedral Salai as a preventive measure to stop Muslim protesters from rushing towards the US mission.

The entire stretch of Anna Salai from Anna fly over to Tarapore Towers was clogged with vehicles because of police restrictions and protests.

The heavy deployed came after a group of protesters belonging to TMMK pelted stones at the consulate.

The police removed more than 750 people, mainly members of different outfits who tried to stage protests near the American consulate on Monday.

A procession by a Shia Muslim organisation being taken out from Royapettah towards the US mission was stopped at Peters Road and the protesters were sent back by the police.

More than 150 members of the Jananayaka Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam held a demonstration near Tarapore tower on Monday morning while 120 others belonging to Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi also held another protest against the movie made by an American that is now creating a wave of protest from the Muslims across the world.